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Critical Aspects of EPA's IRIS Assessment of Inorganic Arsenic Interim Report (2013) / Chapter Skim
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3 IRIS Assessment Development Plans: Evidence Evaluation, Systematic Review, and Meta-analysis
Pages 18-22

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From page 18...
... Such information can facilitate comparing dose-response relationships among different routes of exposure, cell lines, and especially animal models, given the marked species differences in arsenic kinetics and toxicity discussed in Chapter 2 and in the committee's workshop. Analysis of Gene–Expression and Genomic Data The dataset for arsenic includes genomic data, such as gene expression data, variability based on DNA polymorphisms, and differences in epigenetic control of expression.
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From page 19...
... This should include thorough review of the effectiveness of the preprocessing and the statistical analysis and will require access to the raw data. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS EPA's draft plans indicate that the hazard-identification process will generate questions specific to the toxicologic review, and the questions will be addressed in systematic reviews.
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From page 20...
... Another National Research Council committee is evaluating such improvements of the IRIS process and is expected to issue a report in the first quarter of 2014. In light of those activities, the present committee focused its efforts on identifying issues specific to inorganic arsenic in the performance of systematic reviews rather than on specific procedural aspects of such reviews.
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From page 21...
... General limitations of the conduct and interpretation of meta-analyses for arsenic health effects have been the substantial heterogeneity among studies, methodologic limitations in outcome and exposure assessment, the use of different biomarkers, the temporality of an association, adjustment for relevant confounders, and the potential for publication bias. Heterogeneity, however, is relatively common in observational studies; it should be evaluated but should not necessarily impede data-pooling.
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From page 22...
... 22 Critical Aspects of EPA's IRIS Assessment of Inorganic Arsenic ing to conduct the studies. For the purpose of the IRIS assessment, given limited resources and the number and quality of published studies of some health end points associated with low to moderate arsenic exposure, conducting meta-analyses of aggregated data from published studies is an appropriate alternative to collecting and analyzing raw data for individual-level meta-analysis.
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Key Terms

  • inorganic arsenic
  • evidence tables
  • iris assessment
  • systematic review
  • cardiovascular disease

  • draft plans
  • health outcome
  • arsenic exposure
  • vitro studies
  • arsenic assessment

  • performing systematic
  • outcome assessment
  • health assessment
  • moderate arsenic
  • populations exposed

  • publication bias
  • batch effects
  • overall clinical
  • study quality
  • epidemiologic studies

  • using cardiovascular
  • drinking water
  • raw data
  • published studies
  • corporate systematic

  • include systematic
  • arsenic health
  • issues specific
  • arsenic concentrations
  • synthesize scientific


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